Blended fiber mat formation for structural applications

ABSTRACT

A process and system are provided for introducing a blend of chopped and dispersed fibers on an automated production line amenable for inclusion in molding compositions as a blended fiber mat for structural applications. The blend of fibers are simultaneously supplied to an automated cutting machine illustratively including a rotary blade chopper disposed above a vortex supporting chamber. The blend of chopped fibers and binder form a chopped mat. The chopped mat has a veil mat placed on either side, and is consolidated with the veil mat using heated rollers maintained at the softening temperature of thermoplastic binder, with consolidated mats being amenable to being stored in rolls or as flat sheets. A charge pattern is made using the consolidated mat, and the charge pattern can be compression molded in a mold maintained at a temperature lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic fibers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. non-provisionalapplication Ser. No. 16/465,467, filed 30 May 2019, that in turn is aU.S. National Phase application of International Application No.PCT/US2017/063693, filed 29 Nov. 2017, that in turn claims prioritybenefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/428,035 filed30 Nov. 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention in general relates to fiber mat formation usingbulk chopped fibers and in particular to using a blend of fibers to formchopped fiber perform mats for structural applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The economic and environmental pressures to produce vehicles that arelighter and stronger have only accelerated in the past few years. Whileweight savings were traditionally achieved by migrating from steelcomponents to aluminum, even with the resort to newly engineeredstructures with reinforced stress points to account for the use of lessmetal, the ability to glean additional weight saving from aluminumcomponents is diminishing. Sheet molding compositions (SMC) and resintransfer moldings (RTM) that are based on thermoset resin matrices havea lower inherent density than aluminum. The ability to mold complexcomponents also represents a potential advantage of such materials overaluminum.

As a polymeric matrix of thermoset or thermoplastic with fiberreinforcement has attractive properties in terms of high strength toweight ratios. Sheet molding compositions (SMCs) have long beenconsidered in automotive and aerospace applications as an alternative tometal body components. Similarly, thermoplastics with fiberreinforcements are able to meet performance requirements that could notbe attained by thermoplastics absent such reinforcements. While therehave been numerous attempts to develop models to create preforms, thesehave generally relied on a process of catching fibers from a slurry on ascreen contoured in the shape of the desired preform, followed by asecondary drying to set the shape of the preform. Thermoplastic bindershave been used in concert with heat to set the fibers in the preformshape. The preform is then subjected to optional trimming andimpregnated with reactive resin through a reaction injection moldingprocess to form a composite article. A molding technique is detailed,for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,147. A lifting screen preform moldprocess and apparatus is provided for example in U.S. Pat. No.6,086,720.

To obtain reliable quality articles for automotive and other highstringency applications, it is important the fiber preforms and matshave piece-to-piece constituency and a uniform fiber density withinvarious regions of the perform or mat. Typically, preforms tend toaccumulate excess fibers proximal to edges while the center regions tendto be fiber deficient. This inhomogeneity in fiber density and also adegree of undesirable fiber preferential orientation are caused by fibermovement between contact with the preform mold screen and preform set offiber position. While glass fibers are observed to have a nominal degreeof fiber aggregation in a slurry that leads to the formation of anoriented clump of fibers being formed in a preform, these tendenciestowards aggregation are more pronounced for other types of fibers suchas carbon fibers and cellulosic-based fibers. While variant techniqueshave been explored, problems persist with slurry preform formationassociated with limited throughout, and inhomogeneity of fiber densitieswithin a preform.

The use of fiber inclusions to strengthen a matrix is well known to theart, and in the context of sheet molding composition (SMC) formulationsand bulk molding composition (BMC) formulations; hereafter referred tocollectively as “molding compositions”, fiber strengthening hastraditionally involved usage of chopped glass fibers. There is a growingappreciation in the field of molding compositions that replacing inpart, or all of the glass fiber in molding compositions with carbonfiber. However, this effort has met with limited success owing todifferences between glass and carbon fibers. Specifically, thesedifferences include fiber diameter with glass fibers used in moldingcompositions having typical diameters of between 16 and 30 microns whilecarbon fibers typically have diameters of between 2 and 10 microns.Additionally, whereas glass roving fabrics, or bundles typically havetens to hundreds of individual fibers, carbon fiber tows typically comein bundles of thousands and even tens of thousands of individual fibers.A still further difference exists in the fiber-fiber interactions whereglass fibers tend to scatter and debundle upon chopping, Van der Waalsbonding and other inter-fiber surface interactions tend to make carbonfiber disinclined from debundling after chopping into desired lengthsfor use as reinforcement in a molding composition. While the debundlingof carbon fiber tows is addressed in laboratory scale moldings throughmanual manipulation, problems exist for production scale debundling ofcarbon fiber tow into separate chopped carbon fibers.

Furthermore, difficulties have been encountered in producing mixed fiberresin matrix articles for the formation of a uniform layer of randomlyoriented and intermixed glass fibers and carbon fibers. Similarly, thelimited access to mixed fiber rovings and non-wovens has hamperedefforts to reduce weight of vehicle body panels. Fibers for fiberreinforced resin molding are typically produced by chopping a tow formedbundles of long fiber lengths into preselected lengths. While glassfibers are usually produced in tows of a few hundred fibers and cutcleanly to produce individual fibers, carbon fibers as stated previouslyhave diameters of about 2 to 10 micrometers, much smaller than glassfibers with diameters of 10 to 25 micrometers, and are manufactured intows that contain tens of thousands of fibers. Owing to physical andchemical differences carbon fibers tend to form clumps of fibers ratherthan randomly oriented, individual fibers commonly observed with glassfibers.

Co-pending application Ser. No. 14/398,673 filed on May 1, 2013 entitled“Process of Debundling Carbon Fiber Tow and Molding CompositionContaining Such Fibers”, herein incorporated by reference provides aprocess and apparatus to debundle carbon fiber tow into separatedchopped carbon fibers in a continuous manner, and facilitatesinteraction of carbon fibers with molding composition components toenhance the strength of a resulting SMC or BMC. However, debundling evenwith these processes remains elusive as solvents tend to create anenvironmental hazard and do not adequately wet and spread fibers thatmake up the tow.

Thus, there exists a need for a process to debundle a blend of fibers ora blend fiber tows into separated chopped fibers in a continuous mannerto provide for an even distribution of fibers in a perform, mat, ormolding composition to enhance the strength of a resulting SMC, BMC,thermoplastics, and a structure formed thereof. There further exists aneed for a process and system that affords a homogenous layer ofrandomly oriented fibers across a desired lateral extent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A process is provided for forming a mat containing a blended fiberfiller. The process includes providing two or more different types offiber tow, and feeding the two or more fiber types simultaneously to anautomated cutting machine to produce chopped fibers that form theblended fiber filler. Subsequently, the chopped fibers are coated with abinder and other additives, and the coated and treated blended fibersare moved to a treatment chamber to form a blended fiber mat.

A system is provided for forming a blended fiber mat. The systemincludes two or more reels of different types of fiber tow, a tube witha cutting element configured to receive the two or more types of fibertow to form chopped fiber from, a moving belt positioned under the tubeto collect the chopped fiber exiting the tube under gravity, a dispenserpositioned along the moving belt for applying a binder to the choppedfiber; and a treatment chamber that receives the chopped fiber coatedwith the binder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, andadvantages of the invention are apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a system showing the majorfunctional blocks including a fiber dosing and cutting machine and atreatment chamber used in the practice of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a fiber dosing and cutting machineaccording to the present invention operative in cutting and debundlingfiber tow for disbursement in a perform mat or a composite material;

FIG. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the system shown in FIG. 1for producing a chopped fiber perform mat with the fiber dosing andcutting machine shown in FIG. 2 in accordance with embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of the entry portion of the conveyor equippedtreatment chamber with a plasma generator source impinging on carbonfiber tow in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a process using a blend of fibers to formchopped fiber perform mats for structural applications in accordancewith embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has utility as a process and system forintroducing a blend of chopped and dispersed fibers on an automatedproduction line amenable for inclusion in molding compositions as ablended fiber mat for structural applications. The blend of fibers mayinclude thermoplastic, glass, carbon, polyimides, polyaramides,polyesters, polyamides, and binder fibers. The blend of fibers may besimultaneously supplied to an automated cutting machine illustrativelyincluding a rotary blade chopper disposed above a vortex supportingchamber. In a specific inventive embodiment, the blended ratio of fibersmay be as follows: thermoplastic fiber from 25% to 80% by weight, glassfiber from 0% to 70% by weight, carbon fiber from 0% to 70% by weight,and a binder in the range of 0% to 30% by weight. The blend of choppedfibers and binder may be used to form a chopped mat. The chopped mat mayhave a veil mat placed on either side. In specific embodiments theveiled mat may be formed of glass fiber, carbon fiber, thermoplasticfiber, or a combination thereof. The mat may be consolidated with theveil mat using heated rollers maintained at the softening temperature ofthermoplastic binder, with consolidated mats being amenable to beingstored in rolls or as flat sheets. A charge pattern may be made usingthe consolidated mat, which may be heated in an oven to a temperature ator higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic fibers. Thepreheated charge pattern may then be compression molded in a moldmaintained at a temperature lower than the melting point of thethermoplastic fibers.

In a specific embodiment Curie fillers may be included in the mat forfaster pre-heating. A Curie filler promotes rapid drying of the preformmat by thermal exposure. High thermal conductivity fillers operativeherein illustratively include carbon fibers with values of 8-70 W/m-K(pan) and 20-1000 W/m-K (pitch), AlN 260 W/m-K, BN 300 W/m-K, graphite600 W/m-K, or carbon black, alumina, or combinations thereof.Incorporating fillers with paramagnetic properties in the fiber matrixallows the preform to be heated rapidly by induction heating for rapidcure cycles and for improved fiber wet-out. The paramagnetic propertieskeeps the preform from overheating above the Curie temperature of theparamagnetic particle. Paramagnetic fillers of gadolinium and CrO₂ withCurie temperatures of 292 and 386 Kelvin, respectively are used, eachalone or in combination to promote self-limiting induction heating. Highthermal conductivity fillers or paramagnetic fillers are present from0.0001 to 5 total weight percent of the stack.

As used herein, the terms with respect to carbon fiber tow of “lofting”“debundling” and “spreading” are used synonymously. The “de-bundling” ofthe carbon fibers allow the resin matrix to “wet-out” the individualfibers more completely for better transfer of stresses in the finalmolded part thus rendering the part better able to withstand stressesand strains in normal usage.

It is to be understood that in instances where a range of values areprovided that the range is intended to encompass not only the end pointvalues of the range but also intermediate values of the range asexplicitly being included within the range and varying by the lastsignificant figure of the range. By way of example, a recited range offrom 1 to 4 is intended to include 1-2, 1-3, 2-4, 3-4, and 1-4.

As used herein, the tow volume is defined by the maximal area in a givencross section of tow multiplied by the length of the tow.

In certain inventive embodiments, the tow is a single carbon fiber; asingle glass fiber tow, or a hybrid tow containing both glass and carbonfibers that is chopped and distributed. In still other inventiveembodiments, multiple tows are simultaneously input, the multiple towsbeing carbon, glass, or a combination thereof. Typical lengths ofchopped fibers used in the present invention typically range from 0.1 to5 centimeters (cm). The diameters of fibers are appreciated to varywidely based on commercial sources with glass filler fibers havingtypical diameters of between 16 and 30 microns carbon fibers havingtypical diameters of between 2 and 10 microns. It should be appreciatedthat fiber dimensions outside of the aforementioned typical ranges existand are intended to be within the scope of the present invention

The tow or tows are subjected to a cutting element that divides the towinto preselected lengths of cylindrical bundles of fibers. The cuttingelement includes a variety of conventional blades including a spinningchopper blade, a liner actuated chopper blade, a water jet, and a lasercutter.

According to the present invention, chopped tow fibers are fed into apressuring gas flow in a tube to induce a vortex of tumbling fibers. Bycontrolling the time and rotation rate in the vortex, a desired degreeof tow dispersion into small clusters of fibers, individual fibers or acombination thereof is obtained. The vortex formation dynamics are knownto the art (M. F. Unal and D. Rockwell (1988). Journal of FluidMechanics, 190, pp 491-512). While the use of a cylinder as a tube isappreciated to offer advantages in terms of uniformity owing to thelimited ability of swirling gas and fibers to form eddies therein and isuniform in vertical cross-section, it is appreciated that other tubeshapes are also operative herein including spherical, hemispherical,conical, and polygonal cross-section shapes, where the cross-section istriangular, square, and higher order right polygons. Briefly, bydirecting a pressurized gas flow at and into a tube containing thechopped fibers with both rotary and vertical flow components, a vortexis formed. The dwell time of fibers in the cylinder may be extended tonear infinite time by controlling the upward gas flow. In someembodiments, the tube itself is rotated as well to further enhance fiberdebundling and mixing in the vortex.

Gases suitable for forming a vortex in a tube are limited only tocompatibility with the fibers. Exemplary gases operative hereinillustratively include air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide,hydrogen, noble gases, and a combination thereof. It is appreciated thatin addition to debundling fibers, the tube is readily provided withelectrodes, 24 in FIG. 2, to support an atmospheric pressure plasma toperform surface modification of the fibers during debundling. By way ofexample, surface functionality is added through plasma treatment duringdebundling or a fiber sizing is chemically modified to render the fibermore reactive toward a subsequently applied matrix. U.S. Pat. No.9,149,834 is representative of such fiber modification.

In still other inventive embodiments, the gas flow entrains a stream ofparticulate fillers so as to form a debundled fiber mass that includessuch filler particles interspersed therethrough. Particulate fillersthat are entrained within such a gas flow illustratively includeinorganic particles such as silica, carbon black, calcium carbonate, andhollow glass microspheres; synthetic organic particles such as polymericbeads of polystyrene, and hollow polymeric beads; and naturallyoccurring particles such as ground shells and husks of plants such ascoconut, rice hulls, walnut shells; egg shells; and combinationsthereof. Particles for entrainment are provided in a particulatereservoir 22 in FIG. 2 that meters particulate into a gas stream passingthereby.

Regardless of whether chemical modification occurs in the tube, thedebundled fibers are gravity fed onto an underlying belt with agenerally random fiber orientation in the plane defined by the belt. Itis appreciated that such debundled fibers will tend to lay in the planeof the belt on initial deposition, defined a zero-degree angle relativeto the belt plane, yet as the thickness of a layer of fibers builds onthe belt, the average fiber angle of incline relative to the beltincreases to values from greater than 0 to 60 degrees.

By sizing the tube relative to the width of the belt, a lateraldistribution of fibers is obtained that varies by less than 20 fibernumber percent across the width of the chopped fiber mass on the belt insome inventive embodiments. While in other inventive embodiments, thelater distribution of fibers is less than 10 fiber number percent. It isappreciated that with resort to an inward angled rail, relative to thedirection of movement of the belt, that fibers at the edges of the beltare preferentially urged inward to create a narrower lateral width offibers on the belt, but a width that is more uniform. In someembodiments the tube is pivoted side to side relative to the directionof belt movement to vary the lateral distribution of chopped fibers onthe belt.

The debundled fibers in some embodiments are chemically treated eitherwithin the tube or on the belt. Chemical treatments operative hereinillustratively include silanes, silisequioxanes (SQs), and combinationsthereof. It is appreciated that chemical treatments in some embodimentsare accomplished with heating, actinic radiation, or plasma to promotebond formation between the additive and the fiber.

In some embodiments of the present invention, particulate filler isapplied as a layer at this point in the belt transit. The particulatefillers including the aforementioned materials.

A binder may then be sprayed on the chopped fiber mass. It isappreciated that the fiber mass in some inventive embodiments iscompressed prior to spray application of the binder. The binder isapplied neat or a suspension or solvate in a solvent. Binders operativeherein illustratively include powders, fibers, resins, and solventsprays. Exemplary binders include latexes, epoxies, phenolic resins,polyesters, solvents that solubilize the thermoplastic fibers, andcombinations thereof. It is appreciated that binder spray in someembodiments are accomplished with heating, actinic radiation, or plasmato promote bond formation between the binder and the fiber, which simplysolubilizes or at least renders thermoplastic fibers tacky to inducejoinder as the solvent is driven off.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved fiberdispersion in terms of lateral uniformity, randomness in the plane ofthe belt, inclusion of particulate therein, debundling, or a combinationof any of the aforementioned as compared to existing processes. Thecontrol of fiber properties and the continuous production process toproduce a binder retained fiber mass according to the present inventionis then available in certain embodiments to be dispersed in moldingcomposition formulations prior to formulation cure, as well as for usein perform mats for use in composite molds illustratively including SMCand resin transfer molding (RTM). Preform mats formed by the inventiveprocess and system for thermoset resin composition molding that uponcure form a variety of molded and fiber reinforced articles. Sucharticles are used in a variety of applications such as vehiclecomponents such as bed liners, body components, trim, interiorcomponents, and undercar components; architectural components such astrim and doors, marine components such as hulls, trim, and cockpitpieces; and similar structures in aerospace settings.

Referring now to the figures, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a system 30 forforming blended fiber mats 44 for use in SMC and RTM. FIG. 1 is afunction block diagram of the system 30 showing the major functionalblocks including a fiber dosing and cutting machine 10 and a treatmentchamber 34 with two or more sources of differing fibers 12. FIG. 2 is across sectional view of a fiber dosing and cutting machine and is showngenerally at 10. Two or more differing fiber tows 12 are fed from feederreels 13 into a cutting element 14 as detailed above for chopping thetow. The one or more fiber tows may be a mixture of glass, carbon,natural, and chemical based tows. The blended chopped fibers are droppeddownward through a tube 16 under helical gas flow in a vortex toseparate and disperse the chopped fibers 18 on to a moving belt 20. Thetube 16 in some embodiments includes a plasma generation electrode set24. As shown in the system view 30 in FIG. 3, the chopped fibers 18exiting from the fiber dosing and cutting machine 10 and on to themoving belt are coated with a binder applied from a dispenser 32. Thenature of the binder having been detailed above. It is appreciated thata similar dispenser to dispenser 32 is used to dispense a chemicaladditive prior to, or subsequent to the binder dispenser 32. Suchadditives include the aforementioned. While not shown for visualclarity, the application of a binder or an additive each independentlyis accompanied with an activation energy input such as a thermal source,a light source, or a plasma source. The treated fibers are then moved into a treatment chamber 34 where the fibers are pressed with rollers 38between the moving belt 20 and an upper moving belt 42 into a sheet ormat 44. The treatment chamber has a first heating section 36 that curesthe chemically treated fibers, and a second cooling section 40 prior tothe exit of the sheet or mat from the chamber 34. It is appreciated thatthe atmosphere in chamber sections 36 and 40 are each independentlycontrolled and illustratively include air or inert gases of apreselected temperature.

In an embodiment of an inventive apparatus that is shown in FIG. 4generally at 50, two or more tows of differing fiber 52 are fed into aconventional chopper 54 at a preselected rate relative to the speed ofoperation of the chopper 54 to yield preselected lengths of blendedfiber tow 52. These lengths of chopped carbon fiber tow 56 are collectedon a conveyor 58 passing beneath the chopper 54. In some embodiments,the chopped lengths of tow 56 are further randomized as to position andorientation along the width of the conveyor 58 with resort to spreader55. The one or more plasma generating sources 60 are mounted above theconveyor 58 such that the preselected lengths of chopped carbon fibertow 56 are exposed to plasma generated by the one or more plasmagenerating sources 60. Under the influence of plasma 61 exposure thelengths of chopped carbon fiber tow 56 expand to more than 50 percent ofthe pre-plasma exposure to form a lofted tow 62 and in other embodimentsto volumes of more than 200 percent of pre-plasma treatment sizes. Insome embodiments the conveyor 58 has a width that ranges between 0.9 to1.8 meters. The extent of the volume increase is controlled by factorsincluding the ion energy of the plasma, the plasma flux, rate ofconveyor movement, carbon fiber sizing identity, number of fibers in thetow, and proximity of plasma source to carbon fibers. In some inventiveembodiments, hot plasma is used to effectively debundle both choppedcarbon fibers and intact carbon fiber tows. The use of plasma fordebundling carbon fibers is more fully described in a co-pendingprovisional application Ser. No. 62/427,989 filed Nov. 30, 2016 entitledDISPERSED FIBER MAT FORMATION, and is included herein in its entirety byreference.

In still other embodiments, one or more plasma generating sources 60′are provided in place of, or in concert with the one or more plasmagenerating sources 60. It is appreciated that the plasma generatingsource 60′ is of the same type as a generator 60, or varied as tooperational parameters to loft the tow 52 prior to entering the chopper54. In an inventive embodiment, the carbon fiber tow 52 ranges at least1,000 carbon fibers to at least 10,000 carbon fibers and in otherembodiments 50,000 carbon fibers or even more fibers per tow. It isappreciated that the plasma generating source 60 emits a cylindricalplasma from a circular electrode, or a rectilinear volume of plasma froma race track-shaped annulus. The chopped carbon fiber obtained accordingto the present invention is then available in certain embodiments to bedispersed in sheets of molding composition formulations prior toformulation cure as the sheets move along a production line conveyor.Through control of the molding composition monomer polarity in athermoset resin, still further dispersion and anisotropy of the chopped,plasma lofted carbon fibers is obtained.

In other inventive embodiments, the debundled fibers are conveyed into arapid thermal multi-processing (RTM) system in general and specificallyto mold corresponding to a carbon fiber pre-form or mat for an RTMmolding. The debundled blended fibers of the present invention providehigher strength moldings. Without intending to be bound to a particulartheory fiber wetting is enhanced by the inventive process.

The stability of the plasma, the heat stress on the fibers andparticles, fiber and particle surface area, fiber and particle loading,and the homogeneity and quality of the activation of the fiber andparticles are influenced by the pressure and gas flow conditions withinthe plasma and in the fluidized bed. Determination of a desired level ofactivation is measured by iteration with iodometry titration, or simplyreaction with coupling agents to the activated particles and testing offinal thermoset article properties. In some embodiments, in order toreduce the temperature further, to cool the gas during generation of theplasma, jacketed cooling tubes are employed that are charged with asuitable gaseous or liquid coolant. Air and water are exemplary gaseousand liquid coolant fluids.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a process 100 using a blend of fibers toform chopped fiber perform mats for structural applications. The processstarts with providing two or more different fiber tows (step 102) thatwill constitute the blended fiber content of the mat in desired weightproportions. Fiber tows may illustratively include thermoplastic, glass,carbon, and binder fibers. The various fiber tow are simultaneously fedto an automated cutting machine (step 104), and the resultant choppedblended fibers are coated with a binder and other additives and theblended fibers may be plasma treated (step 106). The coated and treatedfibers are then moved to a treatment chamber to form a blended fiber mat(step 108). A veil mat is then applied to either side of the blended matto form a consolidated mat (step 110). The consolidated mat is storedfor later use as a charge pattern (step 112), and the process concludes.

The foregoing description is illustrative of particular embodiments ofthe invention, but is not meant to be a limitation upon the practicethereof. The following claims, including all equivalents thereof, areintended to define the scope of the invention.

1. A system for forming a blended fiber mat comprising: two or morereels of different types of fiber tow; a vortex chamber configured as atube, said tube housing a cutting system configured to receive the twoor more types of fiber tow to form chopped fiber from the two or morereels of fiber tow; a pressurized gas flow directed into to said vortexchamber having both rotary and vertical flow components that form avortex within said vortex chamber, said cutting system is disposed abovethe vortex; and a moving belt positioned under the tube to collect thechopped fiber exiting the tube under gravity.
 2. The system of claim 1wherein the two or more reels of different fiber tow types are glass,carbon, polyimides, polyaramaides, polyesters, and polyamides, andcombinations thereof.
 3. The system of claim 1 further comprising adispenser positioned along the moving belt for applying a binder to thechopped fiber.
 4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a treatmentchamber that receives the chopped fiber coated with the binder.
 5. Thesystem of claim 4 wherein the binder is applied in the treatmentchamber.
 6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a particulatereservoir in fluid communication with the pressurized gas flow.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1 further comprising a rail angled inward relative tothe direction of movement of the moving belt to urge some of the choppedfiber toward a center line of the moving belt.
 8. The system of claim 1further comprising a source of thermal actinic, or plasma energyassociated with the dispenser to promote a chemical reaction between thebinder of the additive and the chopped fiber.
 9. The system of claim 1wherein the treatment chamber further comprises a set of rollers toflatten the treated chopped fiber on the moving belt.
 10. The system ofclaim 4 wherein said treatment chamber further comprises a first heatingsection that cures the chemically treated chopped fibers, and a secondcooling section prior to the exit of the blended fiber mat from saidtreatment chamber.
 11. The system of claim 1 wherein said treatmentchamber further comprises an upper moving belt.
 12. The system of claim1 wherein the cutting system further comprises a series of blades. 13.The system of claim 1 wherein said tube is rotatable.
 14. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said pressurized gas flow comprises at least one of air,nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, or noble gases. 15.The system of claim 1 wherein said tube further comprises a set ofelectrodes.
 16. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or moreplasma generating sources mounted above said moving belt.